Victorian Drop Necklaces
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs.
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Garnet, Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Garnet, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1800s American Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold, Sterling Silver
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1870s Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
9k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Crystal, Gold Plate, Gilt Metal
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Garnet, Pearl, Sterling Silver
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Aquamarine, Pearl, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s Unknown Vintage Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Gold
1870s Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Opal, Pearl, Gold, 10k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century American Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Tsavorite, 14k Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Aquamarine, Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Natural Pearl, Sapphire, 15k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1880s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1880s American Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Gold-filled
1880s American Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Gold-filled
1860s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Freshwater Pearl, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold
2010s American Victorian Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, Sterling Silver
1890s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
10k Gold, Rose Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Natural Pearl
Mid-19th Century English Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Turquoise, Pearl, 18k Gold
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Silver
Late 19th Century English Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Carnelian, 14k Gold
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Ruby
21st Century and Contemporary American Victorian Drop Necklaces
Sterling Silver
Late 18th Century Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Blue Sapphire
1860s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Garnet, Sapphire, Zircon, 15k Gold, Gold
1860s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Silver
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, White Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
1870s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
14k Gold, 9k Gold
20th Century Victorian Drop Necklaces
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century American Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Brass
1860s Italian Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond
21st Century and Contemporary American Victorian Drop Necklaces
Other, Sterling Silver, Bronze
Mid-19th Century Swiss Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
1890s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, 9k Gold
2010s American Victorian Drop Necklaces
Turquoise, Sterling Silver
1850s Italian Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Gold
1860s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, 14k Gold
Early 20th Century Victorian Drop Necklaces
Amethyst, Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
1870s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Onyx, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Agate, 15k Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
1860s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Pearl, Yellow Gold
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
White Diamond, Ruby, Yellow Gold
1860s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Onyx, 18k Gold
1880s Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Gold, Silver
1870s French Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Base Metal
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Yellow Gold, Gold
1870s British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
9k Gold, 14k Gold
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Drop Necklaces
Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold